Uruks and Wargs and Ents, OH MY!
by SkywardWriter
Summary: Sequel to Adventure Must Run in the Family, Artemis, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli must rescue Amelia, Merry, and Pippin from the clutches of evil while Frodo and Sam struggle on their way to Mordor. Will Artemis save Amelia in time? Will Amelia be safe with Merry and Pippin? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! Okay, I'm better now. I hope everyone has a fantastic day, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter to start off a new story!**

**ON WITH THE STORY!**

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><p>Chapter 1: I Love Horses...<p>

The endless hills of coarse grass and random patches of exposed rock told me that we had entered Rohan long before Aragorn voiced the confirmation of our location. We had been tracking the band of uruks for three days with only short breaks to rest before continuing our hunt, and I was surprised at how well I was holding up in spite of my injury. Gimli, on the other hand, was about ready to drop even though he constantly huffed out ridiculous things to try and save his dignity.

Aragorn and Legolas gracefully leapt out of the narrow passage between two massive boulders we had been traversing, and I could easily hear Gimli huffing and puffing as he stumbled to keep up with their long-legged pace. "You know, Gimli," I whispered,"I could carry you when they aren't looking. It might be easier for you to keep up that way."

"Never in my life!" he snapped, his face red with exertion and embarrassment,"No one carries or tosses dwarves!"

I nodded and leapt out of the passage but let out a sharp cry as pain shot through my left knee. Three pairs of concerned eyes fell on me, and I saw Aragorn turn to run and help me. I straightened up quickly and waved him away,"I'm fine. The jump just stung, that's all."

No one looked very convinced, but Aragorn turned back to Legolas as the elf took a vantage point on top of a boulder, and Gimli tumbled out of the passage and panted on the ground for a few seconds before lurching to his feet. "Perhaps it's not me who needs to be carried, lass," he whispered with concerned eyes.

I frowned and shook my head. "I'm fine. The jump simply shocked my knee. I'm fine, really," I stated, looking ahead to Aragorn and Legolas.

"Come, Artemis!" Aragorn shouted excitedly,"We're gaining on them!"

The man sprinted ahead as Legolas sent me a look of concern, his eyes lingering on my knee before he shook his head and jumped down after Aragorn. "Come on, Gimli! Keep up!" the elf shouted, enraging the dwarf.

"Three days, no food, no water, no rest, and no sign of our quarry except for what bare rock can tell!" the dwarf grumbled,"I'm coming, you pointy-eared weasel! Dwarves are natural sprinters! Very dangerous over short distances!"

I suppressed a chuckle as my dwarvish companion broke into a sprint as he tried to catch Legolas, and I eased myself into a jog before building into a sprint to catch the others. I had healed the bones and muscles which had been damaged by the arrow I took to the knee only three days prior, but running still made the joint sting. I knew that something wasn't yet healed, but I wouldn't dare let my companions know, especially not Aragorn, because the damn fool would carry me no matter how much I protested or how much I slowed him down.

We ran on through the day and through the night, and when the sun rose the next morning, it was red as blood. Legolas paused as we reached the crest of a hill and gazed at the sun with an unreadable expression on his face. "A red sun rises. Blood was shed last night," he stated somberly, and I felt his words pierce my heart like knives.

He looked to me, and I nodded as our eyes met to show him that I understood the very possible implications of the red sunrise. In the distance, I could see a thin trail of black smoke winding into the sky, and my heart clenched with fear. Then we noticed a sound like a dull roar, and a large band of riders mounted on armored horses came over a hill in the distance at gallop in our general direction.

Aragorn grabbed me as Legolas grabbed Gimli, and they dragged us into the cover of a couple large boulders. As the riders passed our hiding place, I found myself unable to tear my eyes from the horses as they thundered past. The ground rumbled from the pounding of the hooves, and the air was full of the scents of metal, blood, sweat, and horses.

Once the riders had passed, Aragorn stepped out of our hiding place and called out to the riders. "Hail, riders of the Riddermark! What news from Edoras?"

The riders swept their mounts into a wide curve as they turned and rode back towards Aragorn. Gimli, Legolas, and I darted out to stand next to Aragorn, and I gripped the hilt of my sword under my cloak as the riders circled around us. "What business does a man, a girl, an elf, and a dwarf have with the Riddermark?" a rider demanded, riding forward into the circle to glare down at us.

"Give me your name, horse-master, and I'll give you mine," Gimli stated calmly, looking rather pleased with himself.

The rider tilted his head slightly before dismounting and stalking right up to my companion. "I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground," the rider growled.

Legolas and I had arrows nocked before the rider had a chance to blink. The riders' spears were down and aimed at our heads within seconds. "You would die before your stroke fell," Legolas snarled.

Aragorn said something to Legolas in elvish while gesturing for us to lower our weapons. "I am Aragorn, these are my companions. Legolas, Gimli, and Artemis, princess of a far off realm. We are hunting a band of orcs who captured three of our companions. We are friends of the Riddermark," Aragorn stated, and I flinched inwardly when he stated my title as though it were nothing.

"Why would a princess travel without Royal guard?" The rider inquired, shifting his gaze to me and leaning a bit close for my liking.

The air temperature dropped significantly as I met the man's gaze, ice forming along the shaft of the arrow on my bowstring as I struggled to control my temper. "Because I am the best warrior in my kingdom below my father, and I have no need of a personal guard. One of our captured companions is my cousin, a young woman with red hair and unusual clothing," I stated coolly, glad that my voice didn't waver as I spoke.

The rider looked to me for a moment before stepping back. "Whether or not you are friends is irrelevant. Theoden King no longer recognizes friend from foe," the rider paused to remove his helmet,"Not even from his own kin."

I inclined my head out of respect for the man before he turned away from me. "Our two other companions are hobbits," Aragorn stated, eyeing the rider cautiously,"Halfings. They would appear only as children to your eyes."

The rider nodded slowly. "We encountered your band of orcs last night and slaughtered every last one of them," he stated coolly,"Nothing was left alive when we left, and we burned the bodies. If you wish to check, feel free. Your companions may have slipped away in the night."

The rider let out a whistle and shouted three names before three beautiful horses trotted into the circle. I couldn't help it. I immediately approached the black gelding with the white blaze and stocking and spoke soft and low as I took the reigns in my right hand. The gelding nickered and nuzzled my cheek, and I laughed lightly at the display of affection from the beautiful equine.

All of the riders let out surprised gasps and backed away slightly causing me to look around and send a questioning glance to the lead rider. "That horse has never taken to a rider so quickly," the rider explained,"You are quite impressive, Princess. Good luck finding your companions."

I nodded my thanks before turning back to the gelding and continued bonding with the beautiful creature until the riders all galloped away towards the north. Suddenly away of my companions staring at me, I slowly turned to look over my shoulder at the three men who were gaping at me in utter shock. "What? Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Lass, you continue to surprise me. You're snarling and growling like a cornered wolf one second then smiling and giggling like a small child," Gimli chuckled as the gelding nuzzled my face again.

I laughed softly, my mind returning to Amelia as I moved to swing myself up into the saddle. "Well, what can I say? I love horses," I sighed, glancing towards the north to see the riders disappear over the crest of a hill,"The riders? I'm not sure just yet."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Alright! Another chapter! Yeah! To the reviews!**

**DeLacus: That's okay. Nothing to worry about. People do that more than you would think. Glad you like, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**cutie5lexis: I'm glad you're liking it. Hope you enjoy this chapter and have a fantastic day.**

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><p>Chapter 2: Please don't be dead...<p>

Once we were mounted on our new horses, we set out towards the dwindling column of smoke on the horizon. The entire ride, I had an internal mantra of,"Please don't be dead!" stuck inside my head until we came over the crest of a hill, and my eyes locked onto the mound of smoking remains. Then everything in me froze, and I found it difficult to breathe as we all dismounted.

Gimli waddled over to the mound of bodies and started poking around with his axe while Aragorn and Legolas began inspect tracks and severed limbs. I began to carefully scan the ground with my eyes before I heard Gimli let out a small, mournful sound. I whipped around to see him gingerly pull a charred belt from the burnt hand of an orc. "It's one of their wee belts," he gasped, his voice cracked from shock.

My heart fell to the ground, and a wave of sorrow swelled up and threatened to spill over my eyelids in the form of tears. Aragorn kicked the severed head of an orc, which still wore an iron helmet, and fell to his knees with a scream of pain and loss. I blinked rapidly and took several deep breaths before Aragorn stiffened and began muttering to himself as he lifted a frayed rope from the ground. "They escaped in the confusion and somehow cut their bonds!" he exclaimed, following tracks through the grass until he saw where they were headed.

The massive, dark, dense trees of Fangorn Forest loomed over my companions and I as we glanced at each other. We all knew the stories of Fangorn Forest, and we all knew the danger that lurked within, but we also knew that our companions had fled into the forest with an orc in pursuit, and there was no way in all of the nine realms that I was going to abandon my cousin because of some intimidating, ancient forest.

"These trees are old," Legolas murmured after several minutes of walking through the thick forest listening only to our footsteps and the creaking and groaning of trees,"Incredibly old. Full of hate and anger."

As he said that, the trees let out a particularly loud groan, and Aragorn whirled around. "Gimli," I glanced back to see the dwarf holding up his axe as though to scare off an attacker,"Lower your axe." The dwarf let out a nervous laugh and quickly lowered his axe into a non-threatening position.

Aragorn and Legolas continued on ahead, but I hesitated until I was walking alongside Gimli. "Do you want to hold my hand?" I whispered, offering him my right hand.

"No, lass, I'll be alright. Besides, I don't think Aragorn would appreciate that all too much," he whispered back.

I stopped dead in my tracks. "What?"

Gimli froze and looked at me with mild horror. "I should not have said that. Forget I said that," he snapped, stomping ahead.

Utterly confused, I struggled to push myself forward again. Why would Aragorn care about me holding Gimli's hand? I shook my head and focused on my companions as Legolas stopped then called out to Aragorn in elvish. I saw Aragorn grip the hilt of his sword, and Legolas slowly draw an arrow from his quiver.

I slowly pulled my bow from my shoulder and nocked an arrow as Gimli readied his axe. Something was close, and it had my companions on edge. "Legolas," I called out in a low voice,"What do you see?"

He turned his brilliant-blue eyes to me with an uneasy look on his face. "The white wizard," he responded calmly. I knew he meant Saruman the White, and I tensed as I heard a twig snap behind me.

All of my companions were in front of me, and I sent a concerned glance to Aragorn whose face was set in determination. "Do not let him speak lest he place a spell over our minds," my companion ordered stiffly.

I nodded and pulled the bowstring taught as I prepared to loose the arrow into my enemy's heart. Another twig snapped, and we all spun to face the sound and were met with a man clothed in white and backed by a blinding, white light. Legolas and I both loosed arrows which were easily deflected, and Gimli and Aragorn both dropped their weapons which somehow burned their hands.

On instinct, I released a lightning bolt in the direction of my enemy, but the magical energy was easily absorbed by my opponent. "Do not waste your energy, Princess Artemis," the wizard commanded in a distorted voice as he lowered his staff, and as he lowered his staff, the light behind him dimmed. "For I do not believe you wish to fight me."

I almost dropped my bow in shock as I saw the wizard standing before me. "That's impossible," I breathed, staring at the old man before me,"Gandalf?"

"Gandalf?" The old wizard said softly, his face crinkling as he thought for a moment,"Yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey."

I took a step towards the old wizard. "I am Gandalf the White," he stated with a smile, and I threw myself at him and hugged him tightly as though the wizard might disappear at any moment.

The old wizard chuckled and patted my back softly as I held onto him and refused to let go. "Artemis, you must let go. We have business to attend to," Gandalf stated gently, and I quickly released him and stepped back,"Amelia, Merry, and Pippin passed this way only yesterday, and I sent them away to be safe with someone I can trust."

His words sent a wave of relief washing over me, and I heaved out a sigh as I took several steps back. Suddenly, I lost my balance and started to fall backwards, and I let out a yelp of surprise before Aragorn caught me. I smiled sheepishly and gave a nervous chuckle as I righted myself stood on my own two feet with the knowledge that my cousin and the two hobbits were most definitely safe and not dead.


End file.
